Housing

Northern Virginians Look to Community Land Trusts to Increase Affordable Housing
As the state's real estate costs rise, community land trusts struggle to access funding and land in order to build more affordable housing.

Houston's Land Market Heats Up
The pandemic has spurred a sharp spike in land sales in the Houston area as more people look to buy homes and developers buy land for industrial uses.

Housing Trust Fund Proposed for Atlanta
An ordinance proposed by an Atlanta City Councilmember would establish the "Building the Beloved Community Affordable Housing Trust Fund"—with a commitment to spend 2 percent of the city's general fund annually.

The Consequences of 'Runaway' Housing Prices
There's been no shortage of discussion and debate about what's causing the price of homes in the United States to skyrocket at record rates, but less discussion of the consequences for housing market trends on the broader economy.

Missing Middle Housing, Form-Based Code Added to the Zoning Menu in Iowa City
The Iowa City Planning Commission approved a rezoning amendment that will allow new missing middle density and implement a form-based code for the city's South District. The city could expand the concepts as it expands the city in the future.

Million-Dollar Homes Becoming Standard Fare Across Los Angeles
As households with means seek to escape crowded apartment buildings and take advantage of historically low mortgage rates, average home prices of over $1 million are proliferating across the LA region.

Eviction Moratorium Spurs Passionate Debate in Seattle
Renter protections are a contentious issue, but that only increases the need for honest and transparent debate.

Affordable Housing Planned Around Atlanta's New Westside Park
The 65 new units will include single-family homes with ADUs, duplexes, and fourplexes, according to Invest Atlanta.

Affordable Housing Bonus Program Expanded in Philadelphia
The city of Philadelphia launched a height and density bonus in 2018 to create incentives for the development of affordable housing, but so far the results have proven underwhelming.

How Do We Calculate Demand for Housing?
Actual demand for a place's housing might exceed increases in the number of residents or households.

Atlanta's Pro-Density 'Comprehensive Development Plan' Stalls in City Council
Planning is politics, an Atlanta case study.

California Bans Insurance Companies From Dropping Homeowners in Wildfire Zones
The one-year moratorium is a stopgap measure to assist homeowners affected by recent wildfires as the state assesses ways of addressing the root causes of increasingly damaging natural disasters.

Eliminating Single-Family Zoning Alone Won't Solve California's Housing Crisis
While zoning reforms can help reduce barriers to building more housing, high construction costs and local opposition mean that the state won't see an immediate boom in density.

More Insight Into the Effects of the Pandemic for Rental Property Landlords
A pair of recent surveys attempt to shed light on the changing business and property management practices of landlords during the pandemic.

U.S. Housing Prices Continue Record-Breaking Pace
July marked four straight months of record-breaking increases for housing prices nationwide, according to the latest housing market data.

Is Historic Preservation Zoning?
In a victory for preservationists, the Texas Supreme Court upheld Houston's Historic Preservation Ordinance despite a lawsuit alleging that the ordinance constitutes illegal zoning rules.

Berlin Voters Want to Expropriate 240,000 Apartments
A potentially watershed vote in the German capital.

NYC Mayoral Candidate Proposes Ambitious Housing Plan to Convert Dormant Hotels
Eric Adams, Democratic candidate for New York City mayor, announced a proposal to convert existing hotel rooms to supportive and affordable housing. The plan faces obstacles in statewide building codes and local zoning regulations.

How the Iconic Dingbat Took Over Los Angeles
The low-slung, car-oriented apartment buildings represent a mid-century solution to a housing shortage and offer valuable lessons for new development.

NPR: HUD Sells Flood-Prone Homes Without Disclosing Risks
The troubling trend is particularly pronounced in lower-income communities, where experts worry households are being inadvertently set up for big financial losses.
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